EFFINGHAM EQUITY - WEST LIBERTY - Executive Summary |
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Effingham Equity is committed to the prevention of any accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia. Our prevention program includes the use of proper equipment, regular inspections and maintenance and training for all employees that work with the material. Should an accidental release occur, the facility has oriented the Wade Township Fire Dept. and the Jasper County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). These steps have been taken to assure a quick response to any release and minimize the impact of the release on the community and the environment. The primary activity at the facility is the storage of anhydrous ammonia for sale to farmers. Anhydrous ammonia is received, stored, and distributed for direct applicaiton as a crop production nutrient. the maximum quantity stored at our facility would be 133,000 pounds, in the facility's 30,000 gal. tank. The worst release case scenario is the release of the entire contents of the storage tank as a gas in 10 minutes. The maximum q uantity released would be 133,000 pounds, which represents the volume of the storage tank at 85 percent capacity as limited by design standards and company policies. The distance to the endpoint of dispersion based on the model used is 6.9 miles. The alternative case scenario is assumed to be a release from the rupture of a two-inch transfer hose, with 1000 pounds released in a 5-minute period. The distance to the endpoint of dispersion is 0.30 miles Effingham Equity complies with all rules and regulations relating to The Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia and Low Pressure Nitrogen Solutions, Equipment, Containers and Storage Facilities. These regulations administered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture are consistent with ANSI K61.1 and OSHA 29 CFR- 1910.111 regarding proper storage and handling of anhydrous ammonia. The following is a list of all accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia in the past five years that have occurred from the covered process. On Monday, May 10, 1 999 our facility had a release of approximately 52 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. The ammonia was released through a transfer hose that was inadvertantly opened under pressure. There were no offsite injuries or property damage, but the employee conducting the transfer was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. Effingham Equity has a written emergency action plan in accordance with OSHA standard 29 CFR- 1910.38. Our action plan has been reviewed with the local fire department and provided to the LEPC for coordination of community response planning. Improving safety at Effingham Equity is an On-going process. Periodic evaluations are perfomed to assess the maintenance of safe practices and operations. There are no additional specific anhydrous ammonia safety recommendations for implementations at this time. |